Upfront Countryboy made it look easy once again at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday night by thumping the field in the featured $9,600 pace in a seasonal best 1:54 over a 'fast' track.
After blowing out his foes last week by 5-1/2 lengths in an $8,100 optional claimer, Upfront Countryboy stepped up in class to face better. The stiffer competition didn't matter as he paced away to a comfortable 7-1/4 length win over Im So Handsome.
Taking command through a half-mile of :56.4, Upfront Countryboy (Shawn Gray) never looked back from there. A blazing :27.4 final split eliminated the slight hopes of the remaining six pacers had in the stretch. Im So Handsome (James McNeight, Jr.) held on for second place while Barrys Shelby (Ray Fisher, Jr.) took the show position.
Owned by William Emmons and trained by James Clouser, Jr., it was the fifth win in eight attempts this season for Upfront Countryboy(Dragon Again-Cambloid). The nine-year-old gelding has now put $14,957 in the bank in 2018 and $376,957 lifetime. He paid $5.60 to win.
Gray completed the evening with five wins in the sulky, Drew Monti tripled and Fisher, Jr. had a double. Clouser, Jr. finished with four training victories and J D Perrin added three.
It was a memorable night for Riley Asher-Stalbaum as she registered her first career training victory as Empire Earl N (Fisher, Jr.) won the $8,100 trot in 1:58.1.
Racing will continue on Wednesday night with a 10-race card scheduled for 5 p.m.
(Buffalo Raceway)